Family
by Nightlast
Summary: ONE-SHOT! Sitting outside alone on a cold winters night, Marik thinks about something in his childhood and is overwhelmed with guilt. Lots of sibling cuteness and some angst! Reviews are very welcome!


_AN- Well, here's another ficlet from me! This is set on Marik's birthday, the 23rd of December, by the way._

_Disclaimer: Yugioh does not belong to me. Neither does the song Our Farewell, which belongs to Within Temptation!_

_Reviews would be very appreciated! ::hands out Kleenex::_

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Sighing softly as he stared up into the beautiful ebony night sky, Marik Ishtar sat on a rock by the side of the trickling stream that made its way through the bottom of the large garden that came with their home. It had been a strange habit of his, to come out here, for a while now, and he did so as often as he could, loving the feelings of calm and freedom that it gave to him.

Tilting his head back slightly, he stared upwards at the clouds, painted silver by the soft glow of the full moon that seemed to hand directly overhead, illuminating everything it's light hit and casting vague, silvery shadows on the ground. Oh, how he loved to be out here when it was like this! It gave him time to think and reflect on many things. Some trivial, but often not.

Like today, for instance. Today marked the very day that he had been born. The same day that his mother died. The woman that he had known, even though he had heard many stories from his siblings that spoke of her. He knew that she was kind, compassionate, loving... It pained him to think that because of him, Ishizu and Rishid had lost her. If only he had never been born into this world, maybe, just maybe, should would still be here with them, and they would be happy! Perhaps they would even have managed to escape the catacombs and made a life for themselves in the world above. This world... the one which his mother would never see with mortal eyes because of him! Because she had given her life to bring him into this world...

"Why?" he whispered to himself, tears brimming in his soft lavander eyes as he stared at the sky, finding no comfort for once in the gentle twinkling of the stars. "Why is it that you had to leave? Was it my fault? Am I to be blamed for this loss?"

Swallowing, feeling his throat constrict as he tried desperately to reighn in his feelings, Marik clenched his fists tightly, never once allowing his eyes to stray from their trained position on the heavens above. Painfully, he asked the questions that haunted him the most, "Would you have lived had it not been for me?" he hesitated, taking a shaky breath, "Do you blame me? ... Do they blame me?"

"I know that I blame you for nothing, my brother." A soft, consoling voice spoke up from behind him, startling the boy. Gasping, Marik turned his head swiftly to see Ishizu standing there, a small but melancholy smile on her lips. Slowly, the elegant woman came and sat beside him, looking at him earnestly, "she chose to do what she did so that you could have life, even if that meant she lost her own. She did that because even though you hadn't yet been born, she loved you with all her heart."

She remembered what had happened as if it was merely yesterday. How frightened and confused she had felt, not knowing what was going on. She had been too young to understand properly back then, and yet... she had this feeling in her heart, a feeling that even though it seemed that the mother that she had loved so much, and still did, was gone... a part of her still lingered, kept alive by her memories. As long as she wasn't forgotten, she was never truly gone. She was still there, and would be forever.

Unknown to the both of them, Rishid was standing nearby, concealed by the night and by the added shade of a huge Silver Birch. He stared vacantly into the air, too lost in a multitude of memories which were both saddening and heart-warming.

He could picture her clearly in his mind, her compassionate face, her gentle golden eyes... How he missed her! Often he found himself thinking about his old life, back down in the dank underground. Never had he even thought back then how different his life would be today! He had believed so strongly that he would undergo that atrocious initiation and become a true Ishtar, and yet instead Marik was born. He remembered clearly the feelings of jealousy that he had suffered through, and how angry he had been... back then, to him, it had been Marik's fault. Then came that fateful night where he picked up the dagger and stood over the boy, hatred overwhelming his rationality. Until the child had muttered those immortal words... the words that changed everything.

He stopped blaming Marik for the loss of the woman that saved him, the person that had cared and nutured him for all those years. It had never been his fault at all. Oh, it didn't illeviate the pain or his longing, far from it! But he was eternally thankful to her for allowing Marik to come into this world.

Walking over, he sat down by Marik also, laying a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, "I do not blame you either, Marik." he said, his voice low and full of pent up emotion.

Looking quickly between his two siblings, the most precious things in the world to him, Marik wiped the tears away forcefully and smiled softly, his eyes full of gratitude, yet with grief still lingering in their depth, "I should have known that no blame would be placed on me by either of you..." he murmured. But still...

Wrapping an arm around Marik gently, Ishizu smiled again, looking up as a single snowdrop settled on her arm and then moving her gaze back to her younger sibling, "I doubt it with all my heart that mother blames you, brother..." she whispered, believing this with all of her being. Looking at Rishid, she could tell easily that he felt the same, joining her in wrapping an arm around the youngest sibling.

Rishid looked at him sadly, "I couldn't believe that it had happened, at the time. I felt so lost and alone, even though I had the both of you. You were both so young, though... I felt as though my whole life had shattered..."

"I didn't go a minute without remembering her. Anything about her. Her laugh, her smile, how she used to embrace me when I was seeking comfort..." he paused, a smile appearing on his face and a gentle light flickering to life in his golden eyes.

Marik and Ishizu listened intently, hugging Rishid and thinking on his words. concern filled both of their eyes as they waited patiently for him to finish what he was saying.

Taking a deep breath, Rishid continued his speech, long buried emotions rising to the surface as he smiled at Marik, "Everyday I count myself lucky to have known such a wonderful person, and even though I long for her to be here still, I count myself even luckier that she brought me you."

His eyes widening, Marik hugged Rishid tightly, unable to think of anything else to do. Smiling broadly, Ishizu joined in the heartfelt embrace. Now more than ever was she thankful to be a part of such a wonderful family, and she knew without a doubt that this love would withstand all trials it may go through.

Snow slowly began to descend, settling around the trio and dusting them with a fine layer of the pristine white powder that seemed to glitter and sparkle in the moonlight, catching the light and shimmering softly. A faint breeze sent the snow swirling prettily, a single white feather drifting and spinning down slowly, finally coming to settling on Marik's shoulder.

_

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__In my hands  
A legacy of memories  
I can hear you say my name  
I can almost see your smile  
Feel the warmth of your embrace  
But there is nothing but silence now  
Around the one I loved  
Is this our farewell? _

Sweet darling you worry too much, my child  
See the sadness in your eyes  
You are not alone in life  
Although you might think that you are

Never thought  
This day would come so soon  
We had no time to say goodbye  
How can the world just carry on?  
I feel so lost when you are not by my side  
But there's nothing but silence now  
Around the one I loved  
Is this our farewell?

So sorry your world is tumbling down  
I will watch you through these nights  
Rest your head and go to sleep  
Because my child, this not our farewell.  
This is not our farewell.

_- Our Farewell - Within Temptation._

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END! (Review? Pwease? XD) 


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